Stack-On Elite 30-Gun Fireproof Safe Review

Stack-On used to be a decent quality brand making everything in USA. They began importing all of their gun safes from China, then were acquired by Alpha Guardian who also owns Cannon and GunVault. Over the years, their quality continues to decline as they product thin gauge steel gun safes with poor quality Solenoid electronic locks. In this Stack-On Elite 30-Gun Fireproof Safe review, I’ll explain why it is definitely a product you want to avoid and what are some better options instead.

Lock – Stack-On Elite 30-Gun Fireproof Safe

First and always most important for any gun safe is the lock used. The Stack-On Elite 30-Gun Fireproof Safe features the standard Chinese Solenoid Lock with key override. This is not a particularly good lock with known issues and quite easy to break into.

Because it has the key override, it does not come with a hard plate or re-locker. I consider these essential features for a gun safe in addition to a UL Rated lock made by NL, SecuRam or S&G. These locks are unbranded, un-rated and prone to failure. In my experience, this lock will inevitably fail and you will end up using the key to get in. This lock does retain the batteries on the inside so be sure to keep your keys handy when the batteries die.

Security – Stack-On Elite 30-Gun Fireproof Safe

The Stack-On Elite 30-Gun Fireproof Safe is CA DOJ approved as a firearm safety device which is not a difficult test to pass but does ensure it has the absolute most basic security features. Unfortunately, Stack-On intentionally does not list the steel thickness. Considering it is claimed to weigh around 400 lbs, we can safely assume this is 14 gauge steel construction. The door features four-way 1.5″ locking bolts which is actually quite good, however with 14 gauge steel in the door, this can still be very easily opened with a crowbar. This little gun safe also comes with an audible alarm which helps alert you if your kids are tampering with the safe in another room.

Fire Rating

The Stack-On Elite 30-Gun Fireproof Safe is fire rated for 30 minutes at 1400 degrees. This is 200 degrees hotter than the industry standard of 1200 degrees. Keep in mind, this is not independently verified by a testing agency like ETL or UL. This rating is only a factory test where we have to take their word for it. Also included is the essential Palusol Fire seal. It expands to multiple times its size during a fire to keep smoke and heat from entering the safe.

Style and Function

This Stack-On Elite 30-Gun Fireproof Safe has a fully carpeted split interior with dual gun racks, side shelving and a top shelf. It’s finished in a textured black paint job. Hardware includes a chrome 3-spoke handle and chrome keypad. I’m not particularly enthralled with the styling. It’s a very basic, cheap as you can get, gun safe.

Warranty

To my surprise, Stack-On has a warranty equivalent to Liberty Safe and Browning. They provide a lifetime warranty on theft and fire as well as defects in materials and workmanship for the life of the original purchaser. The lock and paint carry a 5 year parts and labor warranty. They will pay for a locksmith or safe technician to come repair the safe on site. In my experience, Stack-On, Cannon and Alpha Guardian are an absolute nightmare to work with. They never answer the phone, rarely answer e-mails and are not consistent with their promises. Keep that in mind if you decide to buy a Stack-On Safe.

The Bottom Line

Would I buy the Stack-On Elite 30-Gun Fireproof Safe to store my firearms or valuables? No, I would not. With the low quality Solenoid Electronic lock, no hard plate and no re-locker, I can not recommend this safe.

Some gun safes that are in the exact same price range and are significantly better include the Stealth EGS14 Gun Safe and Kodiak KB5520ECS Gun Safe. The reason I like these safes so much better is that it has a UL rated high security electronic lock, CA DOJ burglary rating, tested 30 minute fire rating and is sold by a reliable company with a lifetime warranty.

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